Not too many Fiber-PON routers out there that we can drop Linux OS into.
You need an SFP module that you plug into your standard router. https://github.com/Anime4000/RTL960x
Avoid ISP Routers (2024)
81–90 of 210 posts
Re: Avoid ISP Routers (2024)
#82I wish. I own my own modem and router, but Comcast won’t let me use them unless I pay a whole bunch of extra fees or accept a stupidly low monthly data cap. I’ve got my router downstream of theirs which is a bit annoying, especially considering their modem-router combo overheats and needs to be rebooted via unplugging power at least once a month. Sadly I have no other options here in San Francisco. My house is not wi…
I'm surprised by this, is Comcast super regional with it's restrictions? I have a Comcast 1gig plan in the Bay Area, and last I checked I get a small ($5?) discount for using my own modem. I've been on the plan for a least a few years now... so alternatively maybe I'm grandfathered in or something? Or maybe some Comcast sales person was lying to you about your options?
My experience in the Bay Area - if you rent the gateway from Comcast ($25/mo) then you have no data cap. If you use your own modem and want to remove the data cap it costs $30/mo, more than renting the gateway. The data cap is 1.2TB per month in my area.
I think that is what the commenter meant: "...unless I pay a whole bunch of extra fees or accept a stupidly low monthly data cap"
(edit: I initially thought it was $15/mo for the gateway + no data cap but just checked and it is $25/mo. They are called "Xfinity Gateway" vs "xFi Complete").
Re: Avoid ISP Routers (2024)
#83Often hard to use your own stuff with fiber systems. I get AT&T fiber which is pretty good service but no way to use your own “modem” (optical network terminal). I think their gateway suffers from some kind of buffer issue which affects me even w/ “ip pass through” to my own Synology router.
There are ways now (as in, very recent) to bypass the ONT for AT&T, people have developed custom GPON SFP module firmware that lets you connect directly. There are also multiple ways to bypass the gateway authentication, be it extracting the certificates or doing Ethernet proxying of the authentication frames.
Re: Avoid ISP Routers (2024)
#84I wish. I own my own modem and router, but Comcast won’t let me use them unless I pay a whole bunch of extra fees or accept a stupidly low monthly data cap. I’ve got my router downstream of theirs which is a bit annoying, especially considering their modem-router combo overheats and needs to be rebooted via unplugging power at least once a month. Sadly I have no other options here in San Francisco. My house is not wi…
Check out MonkeyBrains? It's wireless broadband and they have LoS to many parts of SF. I used them back when I lived there (admittedly some time ago) and I had no complaints. Very much a small ISP with personalized service.
It won't be fiber speeds though.
Re: Avoid ISP Routers (2024)
#85Any desktop computer + Intel dual GB NIC + opnsense and you have an amazingly powerful router. Add in a Raspberry Pi running the Omada controller software and some Omada access points and you have an inexpensive and very robust WiFi network. Don’t forget to turn on auto updates for opnsense.
I recently switched to opnsense on bare metal on an N105 with dual 2.5g NIC, after having been quite happy for many years running a bunch of Asus routers on Merlin. My main goals were to improve throughput and security. Opnsense seems to work well OOTB, but being a dilettante in these matters I must admit to having a nagging anxiety that I may have misconfigured something important. Any recommendations for a reliable…
Checking your own IP on Shodan to see if any unexpected services are detected is a good starting point.
Re: Avoid ISP Routers (2024)
#86Re: Avoid ISP Routers (2024)
#87Any desktop computer + Intel dual GB NIC + opnsense and you have an amazingly powerful router. Add in a Raspberry Pi running the Omada controller software and some Omada access points and you have an inexpensive and very robust WiFi network. Don’t forget to turn on auto updates for opnsense.
I recently switched to opnsense on bare metal on an N105 with dual 2.5g NIC, after having been quite happy for many years running a bunch of Asus routers on Merlin. My main goals were to improve throughput and security. Opnsense seems to work well OOTB, but being a dilettante in these matters I must admit to having a nagging anxiety that I may have misconfigured something important. Any recommendations for a reliable…
Do you have a particularly complex setup or a typical home LAN with Wi-Fi? If the latter, chances are you did not do anything bad as the defaults are sane and safe. Look over Firewall -> Rules to make sure you aren’t opening any ports that shouldn’t be. Put your phone on a cell network and try to log into your box using your public IPv4 and IPv6 address. Try to run nmap against the same from a remote server (you can get a cheap or free one from Vultr for example). If you have IPv6, try to for example access ssh running on a computer inside your network from the outside, or even just nmap that address.
Re: Avoid ISP Routers (2024)
#88OPNsense DECISO router on 2 Gbps symmetric Google Fiber for $100/mo. works great. Anywhere without GF, I'd look for co-op municipal fiber consortiums before megacorps.
Re: Avoid ISP Routers (2024)
#89Conversely, by using their router and modem you move the demarc to the Ethernet port on the inside of the router, which makes getting support significantly easier. I care about that more than control. And I know damn well they ain’t got time to spy on me. Just because appeals to authority are fun, I spent decades as a network engineer and then architect.
> And I know damn well they ain’t got time to spy on me.
What do you mean, "time"? It's automated.
Re: Avoid ISP Routers (2024)
#90Earlier quoted context omitted.
I'm surprised by this, is Comcast super regional with it's restrictions? I have a Comcast 1gig plan in the Bay Area, and last I checked I get a small ($5?) discount for using my own modem. I've been on the plan for a least a few years now... so alternatively maybe I'm grandfathered in or something? Or maybe some Comcast sales person was lying to you about your options?
My experience in the Bay Area - if you rent the gateway from Comcast ($25/mo) then you have no data cap. If you use your own modem and want to remove the data cap it costs $30/mo, more than renting the gateway. The data cap is 1.2TB per month in my area. I think that is what the commenter meant: "...unless I pay a whole bunch of extra fees or accept a stupidly low monthly data cap" (edit: I initially thought it was $…
Tell them it's a home office and get comcast business. There's no data caps on any of the tiers and they allow use of any modem on their approved list.